Head guard



May 21, 1929 I R'. T. MULLlNs 1,714,275

HEAD GUARD Filed Nov. 1, 1926 Patented May l2l, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT THOMAS MULLINS, or BROOKLYN, NnW YORK, AssieNoR To Ao. sPALDiNG a BROS., or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

HEAD GUARD.

Application filed November 1, `1926.` Serial No. 145,452.l

This invention relates to protective gear, and more particularly to provide an improved body protector for a participant in a collisive athletic contest, such, for instance, as a player ina football game.

One ofthe objects of the invention is to provide an improved head-'guard of the helmet type.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved type of head-guard having portions, layers of other subdivisions acting as form-holding and/or buffer functioning elements which are so relatively assembled and secured in place as adequately to protect the wearer of the head-guardas well as an opponent a part of whose body is brought into collisive contact with such head-guard. Tn other words, an important objeotof the invention is to provide anew. and improved head-guard which shall do what previous head-guards have done,lthat is, completely protect the wearer, but also one which shall not be a potentially dangerous instrumentality in regard to an opponent. The atta-in-V ment of this Objectis of considerable importance, vparti-eularly in a helmet type of headguard, inasmuch as such head-guards com-- monly include localized block-like or rib-like or similar protective subdivisions which project outwardly, either directly from the head of the wearer or from a hood-like article of cranial apparel made up of properly cut and stitched together sheet elements.

The various other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be specifically pointed out or apparent hereinafter, in the course kof a description of a preferred one of the various possible forms of the inventionas shown inv the accompanying drawing, it being understood, of course, that suoli form is merely illustrative of one combination and arrangement of'parts calculated to attainthe objects of the invention, pursuant to present preference.

In said drawing: f y

Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of the invention in perspective; and

Fig. 2 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The exemplifying embodiment of the in-v vention shown in the 'drawing as constituting a form of the invention as at present preferred, includes, as is familiar in the art, a top-cranial hood 3, having various ventilation holes 4, and equipped on its Outside with a plurality'of rib-like protective structures 5. In the present case, the leather or other louter coverings for these ribs 5, are transversely arched, and then stitched along their longitudinal margins to an outer' skin 6 for the hood 3, which skin also may be of leather. This transverse arching of the rib coverings'affords a longitudinal rib pocket in which is disposed the filler material. `The ribs 5 are arched `upwardly along their lengths to conform to the rotundity of the hood, and thus rise from circumferentially spaced points near the lower bounding edge of the hood-to converge .also securing the lower head-guard portion to thel lower ends of the rib covers, and likewise serving to mount on said lower head portion a brow-guard member 12, as indicated at 11a. This protective structure 12 is secured to hood 3 by the latters stitching 7, as indicated at 7.

It will be seen from the foregoing that thc protective subdivision 12as well as the ribs .Y 5, take part, bynieans of their leather or. simi-` lar covers, in providing a more or less flexible connection between the hood portions, and a connection more freely flexible at the back of the new head-guard than at the front.

As will be seen clearly from Fig. 1, the sheet of` lea-ther or the like forming the cover for the protective subdivision 12 is arched transversely to provide a pocket forfiller material.

ln a similar manner, sheets o f vleather or the like are cut and.v transversely arched to provide pockets for filler material, and to be mari ginally stitched to the outer skin of t-he lower hood portion to provide a horizontally extending protective structure 14 at the back of the neck and to provide a pair of annular ear protecting structures` 15 for each of the tabs 10.

As in the case ofthe hood 3, the lower hood portion 10 has an outer skin 16 of leather or l similar material.

Itwill be understood that the'fller mate-` rial for the various localized protective structures 5, 12, 14 and 15 is of a shock absorbing character, as is the inner lining for the hood 3 and the lower hood portion 10. Such lining, as is familiar in the art, is a lining of shock absorbing material such as a lining 17 of felt.

I have discovered that the various objects of the invention may be attained, as well also as the additional one of providing a comparatively inexpensive head-guard and one which may be worn with maximum comfort, when the various shock absorbing materials employed, (a) for illing the localized protective structures 5, 12, 14 and 15 and (b) for lining the head embracinghead portions7 are of different degrees of elastic resistance to deformation by compression, particularly when the material having the greatest degree of such elasticity is used as the filler or the protective structures 5, 12, 14 and 15. I have also found that then all the objects ot the invention are .attained even when the thickness of the lining for the hood portions is much thinner than heretofore, so as to be rather a sheet than a pad. A very satisfactory and practical combination for thus carrying out the invention is had when a material, as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2, having the qualities of foam rubber, acts as the filler material for the protective structures 5, l2, 14: and 15, and when the material for the thin lining 17 has the qualities of felt.

I claim:

1. In a head guard, a top cranial hood provided on its outside with a plurality of rib like protective structures of flexible material extending radially from the center of said hood, certain of said rib like structures ex- V tending downwardly below the hood, and a lower head guard portion stitched to the lower ends of the downwardly extending rib like structures whereby the lower portion is flexibly connected to the hood portion by said ribs, said lower head guard portion being arranged to cover the back of the wearers neck and having a rib like protective structure extending horizontally thereacross, annular 'car protecting ribs located forwardly of the last mentioned rib-like protective struct-ure and at the ends thereof.

2. In a head guard, a 'top cranial hood provided on its outside with a plurality of rib like protective structures of flexible material extending radially from thc center of said hood, certain of said rib like structures extending downwardly below the hood, and a lower head guardV portion stitched to the lower ends of the downwardly extending rib like structures whereby the lower portion is flexibly connected to the hood portion by said ribs, said lower hea-d guard portion being arranged to cover the back of the wearers neck and having a rib like protective structure extending horizontally thereacross, annular earv protecting ribs located forwardly of the last mentioned rib-like protective structure and at the ends thereof, each of said rib like structures consisting of an arched strip of leather marginally stitched to the parts over which it extends and having a filling of resilient material.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature.

ROBERT THOMAS MULLINS. 

